Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-09
Ben's Foreign Service.

had but lately succeeded To the estate,
and it had come to him very heavily
encumhered; aud now, with reduced
rents. irregularly paid. he found it inn
poss Die To 90 on. He had. therefore.
determined To spend couple of years
on The continent. during which time he
. hoped that the agricultural depressons
would pass away.
The establ shment at the hall was
not large one by any means for a
country bachelor slu re. but it was lar
ger than he could afford to keep up
under existing "reminiscences. So one
evening H. Called his servants together
and odd tn m how matt rs were with
linn. 5dling them seek other institu-
tiOnS at once
lits personal servant, Ben Higgins.
wa moi nciu ied n the general dismiss
sal. Dut WAS destined To accompany his
m Strr abroad. Ben WAS one of those
men not unfrequently met with in the
cnuniry-a man who could turn his
hand 10 most things though he might
not he good ~ anN. The position he
held AZ Wr-tley Grange was cross be-
tween valet and gamekreper, but at
odd times he had been known TO cook
his master dinner and make his mas
iers'S bed. Tn : was during grous-
ing expcdiI on to the Welsh hills. but
the rumor OF L had travelled ia. West
ley. Bn was in high spirits when he
was told OF the jOurue in store for him.
II II teach these fore gnerS a thing
or two. he said To the cook one night;
To which she replied; You be very
careful, Mr.. Ben. that they don't teach
you more than you teach them.
Them he CT ed Them teach me?
Why | could wallop the lot of I'm. if
wanted to. ="
Then you mind yon don want to. "
she answered
''Whv. YOU know very we'll" con-
tinucd Ben, that set your watch
agoing after James. the Matchmaker,
had had il q month and couldn't make
nothing of il; and 1 stopped the blue
bed room chmbly smoking. when the
smoke had nearly druv YOU all out of
the place -
Rubbish she said. The watch
wind nc. and as for the chimbly, it
smoked because there was a bag of straw
in IT, You needn't crow over them
things young man..
Yes. there was a little i'll feeling on
the past of the cook toward Ben. She
had claimed him for her own original
ly. but Ben had fought shy; and latter
iy he had been paying n good deal of
attention to Anna, the housemaid ut the
rectory. Either fault alone, on Ben's
part would have made the cook some
what aggrived toward him, but the two
combined was more than culinary
flesh and blood could stand. Thus it
happened that her tongue had an ac-
cess of acerbity when moving at Ben.
Down at the rectory the commotion
was nearly ms general. The servants
discussed the situation from morning
till night, and Anna received many un-
pleasant jeers.
Stick to your' said the coachman.
mot he. Them sort never st cks to
nothing but their baccy. When you
says goodby to Ben. you says goodby
for ever, my lass.
''IIe can please himself. she said;
"but if he thinks | shall die broken
hearted because he takes on with some
foreign girl. he's very much m,took."
That's alwa : the way with YOU
women folk. You talk as big as big.
and when it comes to, you doubles up
to moth nc.
But Ben and mes different" said
Anna. IF he's not in earnest. no
more aren't L. Which was, perhaps.
consolatory.
The time slipped rapidly by. and it
wanted but day TIL Ben and his mast
er should start for the continent.
That night Ben repaired to the rectory.
and had parting interview with
Anna. His last words we're: You'll
not forget me. Anna, when | am parted
from you2 I'm a-coming back for YOU
some day. Till then. ho riverr'
It'll WHAT"
That's "A bit of French, my dear.
I've bin learning the langwidge lately.
It's something Ike 'goodby.' only
more so. Ho river" And so they
parted.
In the course of n few weeks Ben
and his master were comfortably settled
in small German village near Bonn.
The house where they had made their
home was an old farmhouse that had
once belonged to noble family. but
was now partly fallen to decay. 1t
was inhab ted by the present owner.
who carried on the bus ness of a small
farmer and wine grower. He had nci-
Their wife nor child. the domestic func-
tions being superntended. and in a
great measure performed, by sister